Garment-supporting clasp.



No; 649,266. Patented May 8; I900.

J; F. ATWOOD.

GARMENTSUPPORTING CLASP.

(Application filed Mar. 26, 1900.)

(Na Model.)

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. UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES F. ATWOOD, OF MALDEN, MAS SAOI'IUSET'IS GARM ENT-SUPPQRTING CLASP.

SPECIFICATION forming'part-of Letters Patent No. 649,266, dated May 8, 1900.

Application filed March 26,1900. Serial No. 10,166, (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JAMES F. ATWOOD, a citizen of the United States, residing in Malden, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Garment-Supporting Clasps, of which the following is a specification.

This inventionrelates to self-acting clasps for supporting or holding in position garments, and it is particularly applicable to arm-bands, garters, suspenders, and such articles of clothing, although it may be used in connection with other garmeuts,such as stocking-supporters, if desired.

The nature ofthe invention is fully described below, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is a perspective view showing the blank from which the clamping -jaws are formed up and the wire hinge or loop separated, such being the two parts which constitute the clasp. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the looped portion of an arm-band with my invention applied thereto, the clasp and the portion of the bandto which it is directly applied being shown in section. In this figure the parts are not taut, and the band can be slipped freely through the hinged wire loop of the clasp, and thus enlarged or contracted. Fig. 3 is a similar view with the band drawn taut or stretched as it would be in position upon the arm. Fig. dis a section taken on line 4, Fig. 3.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

a represents the main portion of an elastic arm-band. One end of this portion is provided with a suitable clasp b, permanently secured in position and furnished with a wire loop a. The opposite end of the band a is passed through said wire loop and constitutes the looped portion a of the band. Any suitable looped contrivance may be applied in place of the one indicated at b 0, provided it is of such a nature that the part a" of the band will slip freely through it.

B and 0 represent the two jaws, which are bent into the shape shown in Figs. 2, 3, and 4 from the blank illustrated in Fig. 1. The jaw B is provided with arow of teethD,which project outward from the said jaw at substantially right angles thereto, said teeth be ing preferably formed by cutting triangular openings D from the jaw and bending up the teeth. This row of teeth is placed quite near the middle of the blank, so as to be next the upper or inner edge of the jaw B when the blank has been bent into shape. The jaw O is provided with a row of inwardly-bent teeth E, similarly formed, but located lower down or nearer the lower outer edge than the teeth D.

K is a wire ring or loop of the flattened shape shown, one portion of which extends between the jaws and is held loosely therein, and the other portion extends out therefrom, whereby a loosely-hinged wire loop is provided.

The main portion of the clamp is applied to the end of the part ct of the band by placing it on the opposite sides of said end with the jaw B facing the looped portion ct and the jaw O on the outer side, the clamp being held in position by the teeth E, which engage the web. In this position, when the band is not taut, its looped end assumes the shape indicated in Fig. 2, and the teeth D lie parallel with and on the under side of the main por tion a of the band. lVhile in this position the band can be easily slipped through the wire loop K and the loop a made larger or smaller, as desired, thus rendering the band smaller or larger without the teeth D catching in or engaging with the band. As soon, however, as the band is made taut, as shown in Fig. 3, the main portion of the clasp is drawn up into a substantially-parallel position with the band a, thus bringing the teeth D at right angles therewith. At" the same time the loop K, which swings freely in the clamp, is drawn from a position in line with the clamp, as shown in Fig. 2, into a position at an obtuse angle with the clamp, as shown in Fig. 4, so that the band is tightly held between the outer portion of the loop K and the sharp ends of the teeth D. Thus by means of the combination of two elementsviz., the row of teeth D, at substantially right angles with the jaw B, and the freely-swinging loop or hinge Kthe fabric is always securely held when the loop c is drawn taut and released so that it can freely slip in the wire loop when the garment-supporter is removed or loosened.

Having thus fully described my invention,

what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- 1. A garment-supporting clasp consisting of the clamp portion comprising the two rigid jaws B, O, the jaw B being provided with outwardly-extending teeth or prongs D at substantially right angles with the surface of the jaw, and the jaw 0 being provided with suitable teeth extending inwardly therefrom for engaging the fabric; and the wire loop K hinged to said clamp portion and swinging loosely therefrom, substantially as described.

2. A garment-supporting clasp consisting of the clamp portion comprising the two rigid jaws B, O, the jaw B being provided with outwardly-extending teeth or prongs D at substantially right angles with the surface of the jaw, and located in aline next the inner edge of said jaw B, and the jaw 0 being provided with suitable teeth extending inwardly there from for engaging the fabric; and the wire loop K hinged to said clamp portion and swinging loosely therefrom substantially as set forth.

JAMES F. ATWOOD, WVitnesses:

HENRY W. WILLIAMS, A. N. BoNNEY. 

